Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Merit-based tuition assistance available through LRAEF scholarships

The LRA Education Foundation is accepting applications
for the 2012-2013 semesters. Two scholarships are
available--General Hospitality and LRAEF/NRAEF
Co-Branded Scholarships.

College
tuition continues to rise and with national buzz on the possible expiration of the
current 3.4 percent student loan interest rate, students may face loan interest
rates at double to more than six percent before long. By 2030, 80 million
Americans will fall into the Generation Y category and carry more
education-related debt than any previous generation. Currently Americans are
carrying a trillion dollars in student loan debt.

In an
effort to further educate Louisiana ProStart students, culinary/hospitality students,
industry employees and educators, the Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation(LRAEF) created its Scholarship Fund in 2009. Designed with hopes
that the recipients select the culinary and/or hospitality fields as a career
choice or continue to work in the industry, the LRAEF awarded $40,000 in
scholarships to 12 students in 2011.

“The
LRAEF is proud to offer monetary assistance to students both beginning and
furthering their education in the culinary and general hospitality fields,”
said LRAEF Executive Director Alice Glenn. “Louisiana is on pace to add 17,400
new industry positions by the 2022 according to the Louisiana Workforce Commision. Our goal is to continue attracting young
people to restaurant careers and providing merit-based financial assistance
whenever possible.”

With
two scholarship offerings—the LRAEF General Hospitality Scholarship and the
LRAEF-National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) Co-Branded
Scholarship, the fund allows recipients access to post-secondary education in
the culinary and/or hospitality fields or special certificate programs for
educators and industry professionals. The scholarships are awarded for one time
financial assistance.

General
Hospitality Scholarship applicants must be currently enrolled or accepted in a
hospitality or culinary degree seeking program such as bachelor and/or
association. The purpose is to provide an opportunity to educate students with
hopes that the recipients select the culinary and/or hospitality fields as a
career choice. Scholarship awards may vary based on available funds and are
merit based.

LRAEF-NRAEF Co-Branded Scholarship applicants must be currently enrolled or accepted in a
hospitality or culinary degree seeking program such as bachelor and/or
associate. They must also be currently enrolled as a ProStartstudent
or have completed the ProStart Program. Scholarship awards may vary based on
available funds and are merit based.

The
mission of the LRAEF, a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, is to promote the
industry as a career choice to our current and future workforce, offer
scholarships and professional development. If you would like to make a
donation, please contact Alice Glenn, aglenn@lra.org
or (504) 454-2277, ext. 565.